Funding shortfalls for poorer areas of Wales caused by the EU budget deal should be made up by the UK Government, Carwyn Jones has demanded.

Funding shortfalls for poorer areas of Wales caused by the EU budget deal should be made up by the UK Government, Carwyn Jones has demanded.

The First Minister made the claim in the wake of the budget deal hammered out last week by David Cameron, which he said meant spending for 2014-2020 would be 24bn euros lower than during the last seven-year period.

Despite the Prime Minister saying he had “pride” in securing the 908bn euro budget deal, he was criticised by Mr Jones, who said that the deal meant poorer areas of Wales were losing out to wealthier parts elsewhere in the UK, while Plaid Cymru labelled it “devastating” for Wales, given the amount it receives in Structural Funds and farming subsidies.

Mr Jones told AMs in a written statement yesterday: “At this stage, it is difficult to calculate accurately the level of support that Wales will receive from the EU budget.

“My ministerial colleagues and our officials are already in negotiation with UK Government and information on allocations will be provided as and when it becomes available.

“Overall, where the agreement failed to provide adequate support at the EU level for our vulnerable communities, we will be looking to the UK Government to cover the shortfall.”

But the Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies attacked the call, accusing the First Minister of “opportunism” and being at odds with UK Labour leader Ed Miliband, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and the party’s MEPs, who supported the budget.

“It’s only because of Labour’s squandering of billions of pounds of EU structural funds that West Wales and the Valleys remain amongst the poorest regions of Europe and are set to qualify for a third tranche of funding,” Mr Davies said.

“Future EU funding for Wales must be spent far more wisely on infrastructure and creating the conditions for economic growth to help the communities of West Wales and the Valleys become more prosperous.”

A Treasury spokesman said that final allocations for the EU Budget across the UK had not yet been determined.

He said: “The Government will work closely with the devolved administrations on this process.

“While the generosity of funding for less developed regions in wealthier states has been reduced, Ministers are currently considering the flexibilities available to them and we will use these to ensure that distribution is both fair and targeted.”

Mr Jones’ intervention came after Mr Cameron reignited a long-standing row with the Welsh Government over its decision not to order a freeze on council tax, during Prime Minister’s Questions.

Responding to a question from Conservative Aberconwy MP Guto Bebb, Mr Cameron said that the UK Government had made money available for a council tax freeze, which had “consequences” for Wales.

“People in Wales know who to blame for not having their council tax frozen,” he said.

“It is the Labour Assembly Government in Wales – they are to blame – they’re the ones who are charging hard-working people more for their council tax.”

Plaid Cymru’s local government spokesman, Rhodri Glyn Thomas said: “Members of the Conservative party seem to have undertaken a maths lesson from Labour if they believe giving money for council tax with one hand, whilst taking £24m from the council tax benefit budget with the other hand qualifies as helping the people of Wales.”

He also said that the EU Budget deal had united all parties, aside from the Tories, in the Assembly against a cut.

On council tax, a Welsh Government source said: “Guto Bebb’s patronising approach on this issue sums up the Tory mindset.

“The UK Government has not given the Welsh Government a single penny towards paying for a council tax freeze.”